Relationship Adjustments
by Vol lady
Summary: Everybody but Nick seems to realize that his relationship with Nancy is hitting a snag.
1. Chapter 1

Relationship Adjustments

Early December 1880

It was an unusual cold snap for early December, and it was lasting for a while, too. Following sales over the late summer and autumn, the herd was down to fewer than 300 head. Nick hadn't planned on needing to put the cattle on the winter range or on winter feed just yet, but the cold was affecting the more vulnerable range already. Nick was worried – if this winter was going to be like this, would the winter range and the feed see them through the whole season?

Heath saw the frown on his brother's face even from a distance, and he knew what it was about. He had the same worries, but it looked like for Nick they were deeper worries than his own. He rode up beside Nick, eyed that frown more closely, then looked out over the herd.

With a sigh, Heath said, "Well, not too unusual for us to get a warm spell after a cold snap in the winter. That grass could green up again in a couple months."

Nick gave a grunt. "I just hope we planned well enough in case in doesn't. Anyway, we'll have to put some winter feed out starting tomorrow – can't get them down to the winter range fast enough. I don't want these cattle to weaken and not make it through a rough winter if that's what we get."

"You told McCall yet?"

"Yeah, told him at lunch. He'll see to it, and we'll start moving the herd to the winter range the day after tomorrow."

Heath looked up at the sky. The winter sun was already beginning to sink down in the southwest. The days were very short this time of year. "Thought I'd go into town and see Suzanne, take her out to dinner. You want to bring Nancy and come along?"

Nick made another grunting noise. "No, I think I better take a good tally of what we have stored up here in winter feed. That'll take a while. Can check what we have in storage down by the winter range when we get the herd down there."

"You haven't gone to town in more than a week. Don't you think you owe yourself a break and some time with Nancy?"

"Maybe I do, but tonight ain't the night. Maybe tomorrow."

Nick gave his horse a kick and took off. Heath frowned after him. He'd been having a itchy feeling that Nick was neglecting Nancy for a reason, but if they were having a falling out, Nick hadn't said anything about it. It wasn't like he was going in to see the saloon girls or anything like that. He just wasn't going into town at all, and Nancy wasn't coming out here, either.

 _Oh, Nick, don't go messing this up_ , Heath thought. It wouldn't be the first time if he did lose Nancy. Nick was notorious for picking the wrong woman and losing her for one reason or another, but Nancy wasn't the wrong woman. It would be incredibly stupid for him to let her get away.

Heath took off his hat and rubbed his forehead, reminding himself that whatever happened between Nick and Nancy was none of his business.

Heath went home before Nick did, planning to clean up and change his clothes before going into town. He found his mother in the kitchen with Silas, getting dinner ready. He couldn't help leaning over the cookpot for a smell.

Victoria pushed him away gently. "You said you were going into town to have dinner with Suzanne, remember?"

"Oh, I remember," Heath said, "and I'll be leaving in half an hour or so. Just checking on what I was missing."

"Where's Nick?"

"Still out with the herd."

"Is he going to town with you?"

"No, he's worried about having to put the herd on winter feed already. Wants to tally up what we have and move the herd to winter range the day after tomorrow."

"He needs a break before you do that."

"Yeah, that's what I told him, and Nancy needs some attention, too, but you know Nick. That herd comes before everything else in the world."

"Well, maybe I'll have a motherly talk with him over dinner."

Heath chuckled. "I'd like to be a fly on the wall for that."

As Heath took off up the back stairs, Victoria gave him a quick glance before getting back to her cooking. Silas gave him a somewhat longer look, and then he sighed so deeply that Victoria heard him.

"Silas? Is everything all right?"

Silas had been chopping vegetables for the stew Victoria was making and brought them over. "Yes, ma'am. Everything is fine. Is this enough for the stew?"

Victoria took the bowl from him. "Yes, that's fine," she said, put the vegetables into the pot and gave the bowl back to him. "Now, why the big sigh?"

Silas chuckled. "I'm sorry, ma'am, that just came out. Guess I'm kind of worried about Mr. Nick, too. Something I heard when I was in town this morning."

Victoria looked up at him. "What did you hear?"

"There's a new young banker in town been seen talking with Miss Nancy more than once. I don't know if Mr. Nick knows about it or not."

"He hasn't said anything about it if he does," Victoria said, thinking. Did he know and that was why he was avoiding going to town? Was Nick losing out to the new competition? Victoria didn't like the idea of that at all.

"Well," Silas said, "I reckon Mr. Nick and Miss Nancy will have to figure this out on their own."

"Yes," Victoria agreed quietly, reconsidering the "motherly talk" but still thinking. She was never one to interfere in her son's love lives, and she wasn't sure she was about to start now, but with Nick she was always worried. He really seemed clueless about women sometimes.

How many relationships hadn't worked out for him? She had lost count. She really would be disappointed if Nick and Nancy did not work out together, because she was perfect for him. Everyone could see it, but she sure didn't know how to talk to Nick about it.

Maybe she should have been more involved in her children's love lives over the years. Maybe she could have used the practice.

XXXXXXX

With only Victoria and Nick home for dinner, they skipped the drinks before eating and went straight to a very quiet and quick meal. Nick ate particularly fast, talking about his worries about the winter feed holding out. It was when he mentioned that he wished Heath hadn't gone to town to see Suzanne that Victoria spoke up.

"I wish you'd gone with him and taken Nancy out," she said. "You could use a break."

"Maybe tomorrow," Nick said.

"When did you see Nancy last?" Victoria asked, and regretted it the minute the words were out.

Nick didn't even look up. "A week or so ago."

That was all he said. Victoria didn't know where to go with this now, but she ended up saying, "Have you lost interest in her?" and regretted saying that, too.

"No," Nick said flatly. "It's just this ranch needs attention right now, a lot of attention, and she knows it comes first with me."

Victoria decided to let things go and said only, "Well, as long as she understands."

"She understands," Nick said, and after a few gulps of what was left in his coffee cup he got up. "I gotta tally up the winter feed, Mother," he said and kissed her. "Don't worry. I'll take a break in a few days."

"Good," she said quietly as he went out, and regretted even saying that. And not saying more.

She sighed a big, helpless sigh.

XXXXXX

Heath was not inclined to spend any of his time with Suzanne talking about Nick, and Suzanne knew it. Heath was not a man to talk much about anybody else behind his back, and that was one of the things she loved most about him. She honestly didn't want to talk about Nick, either, but she had been seeing a lot of Nancy lately, and she could tell that Nancy was feeling uneasy about Nick. He just hadn't come around much lately, and while she didn't talk much about it, Suzanne could tell that Nancy wasn't happy. After a lovely dinner together at the Cattlemen's, while they were walking home, she decided she wanted to bring it up, but she really wasn't sure how.

She fiddled with the words in her mind and finally said, "I thought Nick might have come in with you tonight."

"He had work he needed to do at the ranch," Heath said. "You know Nick. The ranch comes first."

"Yes, I know. I just wish he'd come in."

"What, I'm not proper company for you anymore?"

Suzanne laughed a little. "No, you know that's not it. It's just Nancy's been a little edgy lately. I'm wondering if something's going on between them."

"Nothing I know about," Heath said.

"Would Nick tell you if there was?"

"Probably not. If there is something, we probably ought to leave it up to them to patch up."

"Well," Suzanne said and left it there.

"Well, what?" Heath asked.

Suzanne hesitated, but then said, "There's a new young man in town, a banker. He seems to have an eye for Nancy."

"Yeah?"

"He seems very attentive. More attentive than Nick is lately."

"So, Nick has competition?"

"Not yet, I don't think. But I'd hate to see it happen, you know?"

Heath thought about it, and worried a bit. "Yeah. Me, too."

"Maybe you should have a word with Nick."

Heath gave half a shrug. "I've already tried, a little bit. But you know how he is. The ranch means everything to him."

"Even more than Nancy."

"Maybe. Maybe even more than me, or Jarrod or even Mother. From what Jarrod tells me, he was left with all the responsibility when our father died. He takes it seriously. To him, it's like all our lives depend on him."

Suzanne really hadn't understood it that way. "You've tried to share some of that burden, haven't you? I mean, you help run the ranch, and Jarrod does all the legal and the paperwork, right?"

"Yeah, that's right," Heath agreed, "but Nick still feels like he's the one who will take the blame if things fail. It's just his way."

"Well, I think he ought to consider that he'll be taking the blame if he and Nancy fail, and he'll be losing more than the ranch."

"You really think I should talk to him again, don't you?"

Suzanne smiled. "Don't you?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Heath didn't make any concrete promise to Suzanne that he would talk to Nick, but he did agree to take any opportunity that might arise. She was willing to accept that, but when they parted company with a good-night kiss, she reminded him that Nick could lose Nancy if he wasn't careful. That possibility did bother Heath a lot, not only because everyone in the family loved Nancy and thought she was right for Nick, but also because Heath knew that if Nick lost Nancy, he would regret it for the rest of his life. Heath didn't want to see that happen.

When he arrived home, the barn where the winter feed was stored was still well-lit. Heath figured Nick was still in there. He tethered his horse to the fence nearby and went inside.

He found Nick sitting on a bail of hay, writing into his tally pad.

"You're up late with this," Heath said.

"It's only nine o'clock or so," Nick said. "Got a late start."

"How do things look?"

"Not bad. We're stocked full here – " Nick waved his arm around for emphasis. The barn was good and full. "To my best recollection, we're stocked good down at the winter range, too."

"So you can quit worrying now for a while."

"For a while," Nick agreed.

"Good. Then I think you ought to leave things around here to me tomorrow and go into town to see Nancy."

"Maybe."

Heath was not reassured by Nick's "maybe." "You could have lunch with Nancy, spend the whole day with her. Do you good."

Nick looked up. "You know what I want done tomorrow?"

"Get some winter feed out to the herd. You already got McCall on that. What else do you want done?"

"Send a crew down to the winter range and fix any fencing that might need fixing."

"Okay, consider it done."

"Gotta run a couple leases I need to run by Jarrod."

"You can drop them off on your way to town."

Nick stood up. "You really want me out of here, don't you?"

"No, I really want you to take a day off and spend it with the girl you love. You ought to do it more often, Nick. Brightens up your whole outlook on life, and yours needs brightening."

"Are you saying I'm getting surly?"

"No, I'm saying you've been surly. Everything all right with you and Nancy?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine," Nick said, but he looked away as he said it, scanning all the bales of winter feed again.

"Wanna keep it that way?"

Nick looked back at Heath.

Heath said, "Go spend the day with Nancy tomorrow."

"She might have other plans."

"Go find out."

Nick gave in. "All right, I'll head into town early, run by Jarrod's on the way, then go see Nancy and plan to spend all day with her. Satisfied?"

Heath smiled. "Just want to make sure you and Nancy are. She's a fine woman, Nick, perfect for you. Don't neglect her too much, all right?"

Nick nodded. "All right."

They went into the house together and shared a nightcap of good whiskey with their mother. Nick told her he was going into Stockton the next day, to ward off any lecture about taking a day off. Victoria smiled, winked at Heath, and that was the end of any discussion about Nick's love life.

XXXXXXX

The next morning Nick slept in a little late, had breakfast with his mother and took off for town at about nine o'clock. He stopped by The Grove to give Jarrod the papers he needed him to look over, and to dandle the baby on his knee for few moments. J.J. was beginning to look like he was taking in his surroundings more – Nick loved it when the baby looked at him like he was crazy. After a visit of about fifteen minutes, Nick went off to town.

As he rode into Stockton, Nick started to feel a little apprehensive, and he didn't really know why. He thought he should have been feeling far more at ease with Nancy than he was – maybe he'd even stayed away for a week because he wanted to. Or was it staying away for a week that was making him ill at ease?

He cursed himself silently, wondering what in the world was wrong with him. Nancy was terrific. When he went to see her at her place, he'd been comfortable and happy each time. Why did that change just because she moved to Stockton? It shouldn't have changed. He should still feel happy to see her – but was he?

 _Barkley, you're gonna screw this up if you keep overthinking it. She's the same woman she was – you're the same man. Relax and enjoy her company._

He rode up to the boarding house and tethered his horse there. In a moment he was knocking on the door, and Mrs. Callum answered.

Nick took off his hat. "Hello, Mrs. Callum, how are you today?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Barkley," she said. "Are you looking for Nancy?"

"Yes, I am."

"She's gone to the orphanage. They were going to have a picnic if the weather was nice, but since it's cold, they're having an indoor picnic."

"Oh," Nick said and felt his stomach tighten at the thought of all those kids having an indoor picnic.

"Why don't you just go on over?" Mrs. Callum said. "I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."

"I'll do that, thanks," Nick said.

He went back to his horse, untethered it and mounted up. The orphanage was across town, so it took a few minutes to get there. As he arrived, Nick could hear the pandemonium inside. He hesitated.

 _I don't think this is going to be a relaxing day with my girlfriend._

Despite his misgivings, he knocked on the door, and one of the sisters answered. "Mr. Barkley! Come right in! It's good to see you!"

"Sounds like you might need a little help," Nick said as he took his hat off and stepped through the door.

Then he saw what was going on. It wasn't really little kids running around insanely. They were in different groups, playing different games with the nuns leading them, and there was Audra, too. And Nancy.

Maybe they were loud, but they were well-behaved, and seeing his sister and the woman he loved playing with them just brought a big smile to Nick's face. When Nancy looked up and saw him, and when she broke into a huge smile of her own, Nick tingled all over.

 _Lovely,_ he thought. _You are so lovely._

The nun who had let Nick in went over and took Nancy's place with the children, and Nancy came over to Nick. Nick gave her a peck on the cheek. "I didn't expect to see you today," Nancy said. "You've been so busy at the ranch."

Nick said, "Well, everybody's been telling me I'm TOO busy. Thought I'd take a day off and come spend it with you, but I see I have to get in a big long line for that."

"Oh, we'll be another half hour or so. The children will be worn out by then and it will be nap time. I can take a while and be with you.."

"You're a natural with those kids," Nick said.

"Not really. I've just been coming by so often that I'm becoming pretty good at keeping them happy."

Audra looked up and waved at her brother. Nick waved back.

Nancy said, "Audra is marvelous with these children. I think it comes more naturally to her than to me. Do you want to come play?"

"No, no," Nick laughed. "I'm not such a natural with them. Tell you what – I need to make a stop by the mercantile. I'll come back here in half an hour or so and then I'll take you to lunch."

"I'd like that."

Nick gave Nancy another peck on the cheek and took off to place an order for grain at the mercantile.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Audra slipped beside Nancy for a moment when she came back to the children, saying, "I didn't know Nick was coming in."

"Neither did I," Nancy said. "I haven't seen him for a whole week."

Audra shook her head. "That amazes me. He's crazy about you."

"Is he?" Nancy said, sounding unsure.

"Didn't you know that?"

"I thought I did, but lately he's been so busy with other things – I wasn't sure he was ever coming back."

"Oh, of course he was coming back," Audra said. "Nancy, he's crazy about you!"

Nancy finally smiled. "Well, we'll see. Right now I'm just glad to see him. We're going to lunch. Want to come?"

"Oh, no," Audra said. "If you haven't been together for a week, I think you need to be together alone."

XXXXX

Forty-minutes later, Nick and Nancy were ordering at the Stockton House. When the waitress left with their orders, Nancy smiled at Nick – and he looked embarrassed.

"I think I owe you an apology," he said. "For not seeing you for so long."

"I was wondering what happened to you," Nancy said. "Thought maybe you went out on a drive without telling me."

"No," Nick chuckled. "Not this time of year. I just got so wrapped up with things at the ranch, I – I don't know, I just owe you an apology."

"Apology accepted," Nancy said. "We're not going to go seeing each other only once a week, are we?"

"No, but then I didn't intend for it to happen this time. Nancy, you know me well enough to know that for me – "

"I know, the ranch comes first," Nancy interrupted him. "The only one of your relatives who hasn't warned me about that is Eugene, and that's only because I haven't met him yet."

"I'm a creature of habit, I admit it. I've gotten so used to being the head rancher out there, I can't stop."

Nancy fingered the edge of her cup of coffee. "There is some space in there for me, isn't there, Nick? I mean – I was hoping when I moved here that we might see more of each other, not less."

Nick took her hand. "That's what I want, too. I really do. But, can you be patient with me? I haven't had many long-term relationships in my life. I'm not very good at it yet."

Nancy smiled. "Just think about what your priorities really are. Your family's more important to you than the ranch is, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"Well, maybe I can fit in there someplace, too. Maybe I'm not at the top of the list yet, but can I still hope?"

"Of course, you can," Nick said. "There's nothing I'd like better than helping you work your way to the top."

Nancy smiled. "Better be careful. You can't get too forward with me in public. Everybody in this town knows you."

"They don't have to know everything."

XXXXX

They enjoyed a long lunch together, but afterward, it was Nancy who had to beg off. "I promised the nuns I would help with the children this afternoon. Sister Marguerite has been feeling a bit poorly and needs some rest."

"All right, if you let me take you to dinner Saturday night at the Cattlemen's," Nick said.

Saturday was only three days away. "Are you sure you won't be too busy with the ranch?"

"If I am, I'll pawn it off on Heath. He's taking Suzanne out Friday night, so it will be his turn."

Nancy kissed Nick on the mouth, right there in front of the Stockton House. "Will you walk me back to the orphanage?"

Nick offered his arm and they walked together, not hurrying. Several of the women they passed smiled at them. Nick could almost hear the wheels turning – _that Nick Barkley finally found a woman he really belongs with._

"How about coming out to the ranch for dinner tomorrow night?" Nick asked out of the blue. "I'll be helping to move the herd down to the winter range, but I can send Ciego in to bring you out."

"All right," Nancy said. "What time should I expect him?"

"About five all right?"

"Fine. It'll be good to see your mother again."

After a long relaxing walk and pleasant conversation, Nick and Nancy reached the door of the orphanage. Nick turned and took another kiss from Nancy. "I apologize again for neglecting you. I've got a pretty hard head sometimes, can't get much into it when I have my mind on the ranch."

Nancy smiled. "No need for more apologies. The course of true love never did run smooth."

Nick laughed a little and gave her another good-bye kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow evening, all right?"

Nancy nodded. "Till then."

Nancy went into the orphanage and gave herself a few moments by the door, smiling. She really had been worrying that Nick was intentionally distancing himself from her, but now she felt more secure. She was not letting herself believe that this relationship was on perfectly solid ground, but it was better than it had been this morning. For now, that was enough.

XXXXXXXX

When Nick got back to the ranch, he let himself have the rest of the day off and went straight to the house. He was surprised to see Jarrod's horse tethered at the stable – had he finished reviewing those documents already? He went on inside and found his mother and brother conversing in the living room, Jarrod in his old thinking chair, their mother on the settee.

"Well, well," Jarrod said as Nick left his hat on the table in the foyer and came in. "I thought you were spending the day with Nancy."

"We had lunch," Nick said and went to the refreshment table to pour himself a drink. "She had promised herself to the orphans today. I invited her out for dinner tomorrow night, Mother."

"Oh, good," Victoria said. "Audra and Carl are planning to be here, too. Jarrod, can you and Maggie and the baby come?"

"Probably shouldn't, Mother," Jarrod said. "J.J.'s fighting the sniffles and we'd rather not take him out in the night air. Give it another week or so and he'll be all right. I brought those papers by, Nick. I looked at them. They're fine. You and Heath sign them and I'll come by tomorrow for them."

"All right," Nick said.

"How is Nancy?" Victoria asked.

"She's fine, just fine," Nick said. "Sounds like she's settling into Stockton very well. The orphans seem crazy about her, and the nuns are already having her help out when they need it."

"I'm sure Audra got her into that," Jarrod said.

"I hope you're planning to see more of her than you have been, " Victoria said. "She's a lovely girl."

"Yes," Nick said, "she is. And I promise, I will be a more attentive suitor."

"You know, Nick," Jarrod said, "I feel I've been a bit lax in teaching you about the finer points of courting a woman as lovely as Nancy is. It was my job as the big brother, after all."

"Not to worry," Nick said quickly. "I suspect I could probably teach you a few things by now."

Jarrod got up. "Well, if you ever need a refresher, Nick, just let me know. For now, I need to get on home." Jarrod kissed his mother, slapped Nick on the arm, and said, "Remember, Pappy's only half an hour away."

Nick laughed as Jarrod headed for the door and left.

"I'm glad you asked Nancy to dinner tomorrow night," Victoria said. "One thing Jarrod may not have taught you – you need to put the woman you love ahead of everything else, including this ranch."

Nick gave a little smile. "Mother, I'm not sure I'm ready to do that just yet, and Nancy knows that. We're still getting to know each other. I don't want you thinking there's more to this than there is."

"Yet, I hope," Victoria said. "You need a wife, Nick. And while you've had plenty of experience in finding the wrong one, I think you really have found the right one in Nancy. I hope you realize that."

Nick leaned over and kissed his mother. "I agree, Mother, Nancy is more right than any other woman I've ever known. Let's just not rush things, all right?"

Victoria nodded. "All right."

But he'd known her for almost a year. How was that rushing things?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Nick spent the next day with Heath and the crew, moving the herd down to the winter range. It was going to take a couple days to accomplish it, but the first day went very smoothly. Nick and Heath were able to head for home just before it got dark.

When they came into the house, they found Victoria and Nancy in the living room, talking. "Hey, I'm glad to see you made it okay," Nick said, came to Nancy and kissed her on the cheek.

"You, too," Nancy said.

"We need to clean up. Be down in a few minutes," Nick said, and he and Heath headed upstairs.

Once safely out of earshot, Heath said to Nick, "Why didn't you tell me Nancy was coming?"

"Didn't think of it," Nick said.

"You should have come in earlier and been here when she arrived."

"She couldn't have come in ten minutes ago."

"Oh, God, Nick – "

Victoria shook her head at her son almost as soon as he left the room. "I'm sorry, Nancy. I'm afraid Nick loses all sense of time when he's out working."

"I know," Nancy said. "I figured that out pretty quickly. Tell me, Mrs. Barkley – has he had a lot of experience courting a woman?"

It was so direct a question Victoria was momentarily startled, and frankly, she wasn't sure at first how to answer it. She had to think honestly about it. Nick had romanced women before, but it never lasted long, so what should she say? "No," she finally ended up saying. "Nick is a very conscientious man, but he's never quite learned how to be that way with a woman. I'm sorry."

"Oh, why should you apologize? It's Nick's failing, not yours."

"In truth, I wish sometimes I had taught Nick a bit more about courting a woman. With Jarrod, it was natural for him. I just thought it would be that way with Nick, too. I'm afraid I didn't teach him well enough."

"Mrs. Barkley – do you think it's really that he's not so good at courting, or is it that he's not so good at courting me?"

Victoria hesitated again. "Are you asking me if I think Nick cares that much about you or not?"

"I suppose I am asking something like that." Nancy's voice caught.

Victoria knew the pain of rejection when she heard it. She shook her head quickly. "No. No, Nick cares very much about you. It's just that I think you're the first one he really does care that much about, and he's all at sea about how to place you into his life."

"Or if he wants to place me in it at all?"

Victoria reached for Nancy's hand. "Don't give up on him yet. I know he cares about you."

"But what is he looking for? I don't know how to be anyone other than me. I just don't get the feeling from him that the person I am is the person he wants – as a wife."

"Maybe Nick isn't sure that the person he is is the person you want for a husband. Nancy, is this the first time you've been this committed to a relationship?"

Nancy nodded. "I'm trying to be patient."

"I think you've been very patient, dear. If a man who was courting me went without seeing me for a week, I'd think he had given up on me. But Nick hasn't, I know that for a fact. Give him a bit more time. This is the first time he's been so committed, too."

"I will – but honestly, Mrs. Barkley, I can't give him forever. Does he know that?"

XXXXXXX

Audra and Carl arrived before Nick and Heath came down from cleaning up. Victoria and Nancy ended their conversation about her relationship with Nick, and it never came up again. Dinner was cordial and relaxing, and afterward Nancy said she was very tired and asked that Nick take her home. As Nick escorted her to the front door, Nancy embraced Victoria and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Even Nick realized that something had gone on between the two women while he was not present. He could tell by the look his mother gave him as he went out the front door with Nancy that something was expected of him in this time he was about to spend alone with Nancy. But he was fairly clueless as to what it was.

It was Audra who gave a big sigh after Nick and Nancy had gone. "Mother, what is going on with those two?"

Victoria matched her sigh. "Relationship adjustments," Victoria said as they walked back into the living room.

Heath and Carl looked at each other and had the same thought. _Let me out of this!_ "Game of pool?" Heath asked.

"You bet," Carl said, and they went off to the library.

Victoria and Audra sat down together, and just as they did, Silas brought in a tray with tea and four cups. "Thank you, Silas," Victoria said and began to pour.

"Will there be anything else, Mrs. Barkley?" Silas asked.

"No, this is fine, thank you," Victoria said.

Audra accepted a cup from Victoria. "They were awfully polite to each other, almost like they had just met."

"You know how it can be in a courtship," Victoria said. "Sometimes things reach an awkward stage, and with Nick, that stage can be very long."

"Does he realize that there is another man in town who's showing a lot of interest in Nancy?"

Victoria shook her head. "I don't know. It seems like everyone else knows, though. How about Nancy? Does she realize it?"

"I'm pretty sure she does, but it's Nick she's interested in – for now."

"For now," Victoria repeated with a sigh, and hoped that didn't change. She really wanted Nancy for a daughter-in-law, and if that didn't happen – she would be heartbroken.

XXXXXXX

Nick and Nancy did not talk a lot as Nick drove her home in the buggy. She kept her arm around his and spent much of the time wondering what to say. Nick wondered, too.

He knew he was doing something wrong – heck, everyone around him was telling him that, but nobody told him what the right thing would be. He thought back on all the relationships he'd had – Hester, Layle, and how many others? They all went wrong because the woman, for one reason or another, was wrong. But Nancy wasn't wrong. Could it be he didn't know how to do what was right because he'd never had any real practice?

For her part, Nancy was thinking along the same lines. She wondered what she was doing wrong, but how could she ask him that? He didn't know what HE was doing wrong, so how would he know what SHE was doing wrong? The question would just sound stupid.

Thinking about that suddenly made Nancy just laugh.

"What's so funny?" Nick asked innocently.

"Oh, just everything," Nancy said, and then she didn't know how to get out of saying that.

"Everything?" Nick asked. "Am I funny?"

Nancy couldn't tell if he was insulted or not. "I'm not being mean about that," Nancy said. "I'm just thinking about how we seem to have gotten things so knotted up we can't seem to even have a conversation." And now she was sorry she had started down this road. Wrong things were about to be said, she was sure of it, and she knew she'd do her share of saying them. She already had.

"Are you still mad I went so long without seeing you?" Nick asked, and yes, he was insulted.

"No, not mad, really," Nancy said. "Did you ever think how time and distance are the same thing?"

Now Nick was really becoming confused. "What do you mean?"

"To me, things that happen apart in time just seem to have a distance to them, too. Like when my father died – I saw him take his last breath, and even though he was still there in front of me, it was like he moved farther away with every minute that went by. When you didn't come for all that time, it was like you moved farther and farther away from me in distance."

Nick chewed on that. It wasn't something he'd ever thought about, and now that he did, he didn't really see it the same way. But contradicting Nancy now would not be a good thing to do, he was sure. "I don't know," he ended up saying.

"Oh, it's nothing," Nancy said. "Just an idle thought I have sometimes."

They were silent again, and Nick knew he should say something. He just didn't know what. After a while, he just said, "I'm not much of a suitor, I know. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry things have gotten awkward between us," Nancy said. "Do you still want to take me out Saturday night?"

"Yes," Nick said quickly. "Yes, I do. I mean, I might not be getting all the steps in this dance right, but I want to keep seeing you. Even if we both feel a little awkward, I still want to see you. I still want to see if we can – if I can get this right."

Nancy smiled. "I really do enjoy being with you, Nick."

Nick leaned over a bit and kissed her forehead. "I enjoy being with you, too. So, let's keep doing it."

Nancy knew that was all she was going to get, for now, and maybe it was the right place for them to be. She sighed. "Okay," she said and squeezed his arm.

For now, it was going to have to be enough.

THE END

(for now….)


End file.
